Wire-clamp for telegraph or similar wires



(No Model.) I

G. MIDDLETON. WIRE CLAMP FOR TELEGRAPH 0R SIMILAR WIRES.

Patented Apr. 21, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE MIDDLETON, OF KIRKIVOOD, NEW JERSEY.

WiRE-CLAMP FOR TELEGRAPH OR SIMILAR WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 558,509, dated April 21, 1396.

Application filed July 31, 1895. Serial No. 557,713. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE MIDDLETON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kirkwood, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful \Yire-Clamp for Telegraph or Similar \Vires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire-clamps for telegraph and similar wires; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful device of this character having simple and efficient means for quickly and securely fastening telegraph and similar wires to the ordinary insulator-caps carried by the usual telegraphpoles.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to construct a wirecla-mp of the character noted that can be quickly and readily applied to the insulator tip or cap and to the wire by thelineman without the use of pliers or any tool such as are ordinarily employed for wrapping or other wise securing line-wires on the insulator-caps for telegraph-poles.

IVith these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same con sists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insulator-cap for telegraph and similar poles, showing a telegraph or other wire fastened thereto by a clamp constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of a wire-clamp device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a U shaped fastening-bail that is preferably formed of a single length of wire, the terminals of which are suitably connected together at any convenient point by looping or otherwise, as at 2, and the opposite side portions of the said U-shaped fastening-bail are connected together at one end by a straight transverse connectingwire 3. At the point where the opposite side portions of the U- shaped bail 1 are connected by the transverse connecting-wire 3 the said side portions of the bail are bent to form engaging hooks or necks at, that are adapted to be hooked directly over an ordinary telegraph or other similar wire 5, at one side of the ordinary insulator cap or tip 6, that is supported on a cross-arm of the pole in the usual way.

In applying the U shaped fastening-bail it is of course understood that the same is slipped directly over the top of the insulator 6, so as to completely encircle the same, and by thus positioning the said fastening-bail, the engaging hooks or necks 4, at one end thereof, will be disposed at one side of said insulator, so as to hold the lin e-Wire 5 directly against one side of the insulator and in the groove with which such insulators are usually provided, and in order to secure the fastening-bail tightly on the insulator, and thereby properly fasten or clamp the line-Wire in position, a straight cam-lever 7 is employed. The cam-lever 7 is provided with a rounded cam or eccentric head 8, that is provided therein with a perforation 9, loosely receiving the wire of the fastening bail and providing means for pivotally mounting the saidlever on the rounded end of said bail.

After applying the fastening-bail to the insulator and connecting the same with the linewire in the manner described it is simply necessary to move the lever against the side of the insulator to provide means for tightening the fastening-bail 011 the insulator, and thereby tightly clamp the line-wire to the insulator without the use of separate fastening Wires or twists as are commonly employed to secure line-wires to the insulators of the poles and without a crimping or bending of the linewire itself.

Most insulators are provided with an annular wire-receiving groove formed between ridges on the insulator, and in applying the herein-described clamp to such insulators it will be understood that the inner engaging side or nose of the cam-head 8 engages under and against one of such rid ges,and thereby serves to draw the fastening-bail downward and hold the same, together with the line-wire engaged thereby, tightly sprung on the insulator: In order to admit of the rounded end and the opposite side portions of the fastening-bail passing under the ridge engaged by the cam-head, the said opposite side portions of the fastening-bail are provided adjacent to the engaging hooks or necks with the short inclined or upwardly-bent portions 10.

While the herein-described bail has been described as being closed on all sides, it Will be obvious that the same may be employed With or Without the transverse connecting- Wire 3, and it will also be understood that other changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing; any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

A clamp for telegraph and similar Wires, comprising a Wire bail of sufficient size to loosely slip over an ordinary annularlygrooved insulator, said bail being made of a single length of Wire and provided with a straight transverse Wire connecting the opposite side portions thereof at one end, said opposite side portions of the bail being bent at their point of connection with the transverse Wire to form engaging hooks adapted to engage over a line-Wire and hold such Wire in the groove of the insulator Without a crimping or bending of the Wire, the side portions of the bail adjacent to said hooks being further provided With short inclined portions 10, and a straight cam-lever provided at one end with a perforated cam-head loosely mounted on the rounded end of the bail and adapted to have its nose engage beneath the ridge of the insulator below the plane of the groove in which the line-Wire is held, whereby the bail Will be drawn in a downward direction to lock itself and the line-Wire on the insulator, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE MIDDLETON.

Vitncsses:

J OHN H. Sroenns, E. G. Sroonns. 

